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Chicken Wings · Air Fryer Buffalo

Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Wings

Crispy wings with no deep fryer: a light coat of seasoning, about 25 minutes in the air fryer, then a toss in classic buttery hot sauce.

New, no ratings yet0 reviewsby Simmerbee Kitchen

Prep
10 min
Cook
26 min
Total
40 min
Serves
4
Level
Easy
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Ingredients

  • Wings
  • 2 lb chicken wings, split into flats and drumettes, tips removed
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
    Swaps for kosher salt

    Instead of salt

    • Table salt or fine sea salt: About half as much as Diamond Crystal kosher, about ¾ as much as Morton kosher. The same saltiness when measured this way.
    • Salt by weight: 1 tsp is about 6 grams of table salt, 5 grams of Morton kosher, 3 grams of Diamond Crystal kosher. The most reliable way to swap, especially in baking and brines.

    More for salt

  • ½ tsp garlic powder
    Swaps for garlic powder

    Instead of garlic

    • Fresh garlic: 1 clove for each ⅛ tsp powder, minced fine. Sharper and stronger.
    • Granulated garlic: About twice as much as the powder. The same flavor in coarser grains, which blend better into rubs.

    More for garlic

  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
    Swaps for smoked paprika

    Instead of paprika

    • Sweet paprika + a pinch of chipotle or cumin: The same amount of paprika, plus a pinch. Some smokiness without the full smoked flavor; chipotle adds heat.
    • Chipotle powder: About ¼ the amount. Smoky and much hotter.

    More for paprika

  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • Buffalo sauce
  • ⅓ cup hot sauce, a vinegar-based cayenne sauce
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
    Swaps for unsalted butter

    Instead of butter

    • Salted butter: The same amount, with about ¼ tsp less salt per stick (½ cup) elsewhere in the recipe. Nothing noticeable once you cut the salt.
    • Plant-based butter sticks: The same amount. The closest swap.
    • Refined coconut oil: The same amount: solid when the butter is soft or cold, melted when it is melted. It is all fat, so bakes are a bit more tender and rich, with no butter flavor.

    All 4 swaps for butter

    Cooking for an allergy? Check every label.

  • 1 tsp honey (optional)
    Swaps for honey

    Instead of honey

    • Maple syrup: The same amount. Thinner, with a maple flavor; a little less sweet.
    • Agave syrup: A little less (about ¾ the amount). Sweeter and very neutral; thinner.
    • Light corn syrup or golden syrup: The same amount. Less sweet and neutral (golden syrup tastes buttery).

    More for honey

    Don't give honey, even baked into food, to babies under 1 year old.

  • To serve
  • celery sticks, carrot sticks, ranch dressing

Missing something? Tap Swaps next to an ingredient, or see all substitutions.

Cook to 165°F inside (check with a thermometer).

Steps

  1. Pat the wings very dry with paper towels. Dry skin is what makes them crisp.
  2. Toss the wings in a large bowl with the salt, garlic powder, smoked paprika and pepper.
  3. Heat the air fryer to 400°F.
    400°F⏱ Preheat: 3 min
  4. Arrange the wings in the basket in a single layer with a little space between them. Cook in two batches if they don't fit.
  5. Air fry for the first half of the cooking time.
    400°F⏱ Air fry: 12 min
  6. Shake the basket or flip the wings with tongs, then air fry until the skin is crisp and golden and the meat reaches 165°F (74°C) near the bone.
    165°F⏱ Air fry: 12 min
  7. While the wings cook, melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat.
    Whisk (how to whisk) Whisk Beat ingredients with a whisk to mix them smoothly or to add air. 1. Use a bowl big enough to whisk without splashing; set it on a damp towel to stop it spinning.2. Hold the whisk loosely and move it in quick circles or side to side, touching the bottom.3. For lumpy mixtures, add liquid a little at a time and whisk after each.4. For sauces on the stove, keep the whisk moving across the whole bottom of the pan. Done when: The mixture is even with no lumps or streaks of egg. How to whisk: mistakes to avoid
    in the hot sauce and honey (if using) and take it off the heat.
    ⏱ Melt butter: 2 min
  8. Put the hot wings in a clean large bowl, pour the sauce over and toss until coated. Serve right away with the vegetables and dressing.

Tap an underlined word for how to do it, or see all techniques.

Tips

  • Wings are forgiving: they stay juicy well above 165°F, and many cooks take them to 175°F for the most tender meat.
  • Sauce the wings just before serving so they stay crisp.
  • Use a separate cutting board for raw poultry, and wash hands, boards and knives in hot soapy water after handling it. Don't rinse raw chicken; it only spreads germs around the sink.

Storage

Refrigerate in an airtight container within 2 hours, up to 3 days. Reheat until hot all the way through (165°F). Re-crisp in the air fryer at 375°F for 4 to 5 minutes.

How long leftovers keep, and freezing and reheating: leftovers and storage.

Quick answers

What can I swap?
  • Instead of garlic: Fresh garlic.
  • Instead of paprika: Sweet paprika + a pinch of chipotle or cumin, the same amount of paprika, plus a pinch.

Answered from this recipe's own storage, make-ahead and swap notes.

Estimated nutrition per serving

Calories
320
Protein
22 g
Carbohydrates
<1 g
Fiber
0 g
Sugars
0 g
Fat
25 g
Saturated fat
10 g
Sodium
1,040 mg

Whole recipe, 4 servings: about 1,280 calories.

Estimate from USDA FoodData Central; not medical or dietary advice. Based on 7 of 7 ingredients.

How we estimate

We add up USDA FoodData Central values for each measured ingredient as written and divide by the recipe's 4 servings, so changing the servings or units here doesn't change a serving. Brands, swaps, trimming and cooking all change the real numbers.

Not counted: honey (optional); celery sticks, carrot sticks, ranch dre… (to taste or as needed).

Goes well with

Picked by our pairing rules: the same kind of kitchen, room in the oven and on the stove, ready in time, and a balance of starch, vegetables and richness.

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Cleanup score 3/5 (some cleanup): 3 things to wash, air fryer basket, saucepan, mixing bowl.

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